Brewday: 'Oz Is Not A Proper Irishman' Irish Red

The lovely weather continues and as they say, "Make beer while the sun shines!"

St. Patrick's Day is a month away and while I have a good half-keg left of the Buckwheat Honey Stout I felt that I needed to get something else ready for the other tap. Why not an Irish Red?

The second most popular traditional Irish beer, Reds are an exercise in balance. Not too strong, not too malty, not too hoppy, fruity but not too fruity, toasty but not too toasty. A nice red session beer. And they are easy. Here's my take on it, based on the one from Brewing Classic Styles.

Irish Red

5.5 Gallons, All Grain, 90 min boil.
Est OG: 1.054
Act OG: 1.056
Est FG: 1.014
Act FG: 1.012-14
Est ABV: 5.25%
Act ABV: 5.5%-5.75%
SRM: 17
IBU: 22

• 10 lbs 2-Row Pale
• 6 oz. Crystal 40
• 6 oz. Crystal 120
• 6 oz. Roasted Barley

Mash in at 153. Water treatment for 3.5 gallons mash liquor: 7 gm chalk, 2 gm gypsum, 2 gm Calcium Carbonate, 1 gm Epsom Salts, 1 gm Baking Soda, 1 gm salt.

• 1.5 oz. leaf domestic Hallertau @ 4.7% AA @ 80 minutes.
• whirlfloc tab at 15 minutes.

Yeast was Wyeast Irish Ale yeast in a 1L starter. Will ferment at house temp, 65 degrees.

Brewday was largely uneventful. Had my first boilover in a long, long time. Less computer, more attention! Minor mess. Gravity was a bit high, I think I may have boiled a bit too much. Oh well. Used Hallertau because I had some around for my upcoming Pilsner. Had planned on Nugget, could use EKGs. Doesn't really matter, just use 22 IBUs of a clean bittering hop. Decided to name it after an episode of Oz and James Drink To Britain, where James May refuses to believe Oz is part Irish. It was either that paraphrasing, or "You're about as Irish as my arse, and that came from Seattle". Guess this makes it the second beer I've named after James May. That's not creepy or anything.